The human brain is mysterious, powerful, and, frankly, a bit dramatic. It is no surprise that a...
Oscar Forrester
Very Big Brain is written by Oscar Forrester, a researcher and writer with a long-standing fascination with how the brain works. Oscar spent several years working in hospital IT, including on infection control systems, and grew up in a household shaped by medicine — his father was a physician and his mother a registered nurse. He is not a clinician himself, and nothing on this site should be taken as medical advice. What he brings instead is a rigorous, source-first approach to research, honed over two decades of writing (he’s authored numerous published books, primarily on software development), and a genuine curiosity about the science of cognition. Mr. Forrester strives to present complex topics in a clear and engaging manner, making it easy for you to understand and apply the knowledge to your daily life.
Yes – consistent acts of kindness can enhance cognitive empathy, the ability to understand what others think...
If you spend any time in a classroom, you quickly see a pattern. You prepare a thoughtful...
When people think about aging well, they often picture staying physically strong enough to climb stairs, travel,...
Picture your brain as the guest of honor at a party you host every single day. Your...
Picture your life as a house. Your habits are the walls, your relationships are the furniture, your...
Most fitness professionals have watched a familiar storyline unfold. A client arrives full of enthusiasm, talks confidently...
Most patients would not blink if a cardiologist talked about exercise or diet. Yet when mental health...
For a long time, mental healthcare lived mostly in two worlds: talk and medication. Sometimes they worked...
For decades, mental health professionals have relied mostly on what they can see and hear in session:...